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Enhancing the world’s luxury spa scene with a social spa-ing concept, Sofitel Luxury Hotels has chosen the symbolic date of July 14 – Bastille Day in France – to announce the launch of So SPA by Sofitel, which opens doors in London and Marseille this month.
Beauty rituals and treatments at So SPA by Sofitel are presented in a way similar to the menu of a French gourmet restaurant, another area of Sofitel-style excellence. Starters, lasting 30 minutes, are designed for busy urbanites looking for rest and relaxation after a busy day. Main Courses and Desserts take an hour and feature body massages, facials, hot-stone massages and other delights intended to nourish the body and soul.
So SPA by Sofitel has also designed its own range of therapy products, So Exhilarating and So Rejuvenating, exclusive treatments enhanced by Sofitel music played on So SPA iPods to create a unique experience. All the massage tables boast a version of the celebrated Sofitel MyBed concept, featured in all Sofitel Luxury Hotels and now converted for spa therapy for optimal comfort and perfect relaxation.
So SPA at Sofitel London St James
In creating So SPA at Sofitel London St James, the brand is set to position its central London hotel firmly inside the British capital’s spa world. This first So SPA by Sofitel has teamed up with two undisputed beauty experts and ambassadors of French cosmetology in its most sophisticated form, Carita and Cinq Mondes. It is also the very first opening for Cinq Mondes in the UK. Set inside the former head office of Cox’s & King’s bank, a historic building in the district of St James, the establishment embodies classic British elegance coloured by a zest of French-style hospitality specific to Sofitel.
The menu also features a few exclusive therapies such as the Look Good Breakfast for business travelers with little time to spare, whose suits are pressed and shoes polished while they make good use of the hotel’s So Fit gym and steam-bath. Martini & Manicure, Pint & Pedicure and a Scrunch (a body scrub and lunch) are other playful twists on the traditional spa experience.
Two experiences placed at the heart of the So SPA ethos are socializing and bonding. In true British style, spa goers can meet at the spa’s Tea Bar, a social space for enjoying a cup of tea along with a French macaroon while indulging in a manicure or pedicure. For people keen to maintain their Zen-inspired inner calm, the Tea Bar reserves a relaxation corner in a mezzanine, a real sanctuary of peace and quiet to refresh the mind and soul.
To deliver another quintessentially British experience, London’s first spa butler is assigned with assuring the constant excellence of service standards. The spa butler will welcome visitors as they arrive, supervise the initial consultation and propose made-to-measure service by way of a multitude of small details. For instance the choice of music composed especially for So SPA, depending on the mood and preferred therapy, the selection of essential oils and scents diffused in the therapy room, room temperature, a selection of teas to enjoy after the therapy and a choice of pillows.
After therapy, the English-style tea ceremony at So SPA enables guests to choose their favorite tea from a selection containing the most appropriate virtues: a sweet anti-fatigue blend or a nourishing infusion. To prolong the ceremony at home, guests are invited to choose the bath infusion they prefer from the five on offer.
In addition to the five treatment rooms, including two duo spa suites, the area features a traditional Turkish steam-bath, Dornbracht RainSky showers for aromatherapy and a private relaxation pool (Astorina). Also available at So SPA are manicure and varnish products from the manicure brand O.P.I. with a range of colors sporting inspirational French names like You Don’t Know Jacques, I’m Fondue Of You, A Oui Bit of Red and Tickle My France-y!
Guests at the Sofitel London St James can also enjoy the new So FIT fitness centre: 100 m2 offering the very finest equipment and most notably the very original AlphaSphere by Sha, a multi-dimensional experience space that consists of a play on sound, light, warmth and movements – combining a unique quality of in-depth relaxation with vivifying and energizing effects.
So SPA at Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port
At the very heart of the old fortifications of Marseille, the finest address in France’s city of the south, Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port, has unveiled its So SPA in an area of 600 m2 wholly dedicated to wellness and beauty.
In addition to the So FIT fitness centre, enhanced by a relaxation pool, relaxation beach, sauna and steam bath, the So WELL area features a “duo” therapy suite with sea-view, three private therapy rooms and a private sun-deck with the old port providing a scenic panorama.
Aside from signature therapies, the Carita brand administers its unique know-how by way of totally original therapies combined with exceptional products, for example the made-to-measure renewal facial care adjusted to each skin’s own needs: replenishing cool care, soothing pampering care, delicious nourishing care or matifying balancing care.
Sofitel Luxury Hotels will continue to roll-out the So SPA concept worldwide with a number of openings scheduled for Sofitel hotels located in Rabat (Morocco), Vienna, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai, Mauritius and Bangkok.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
